3-(4-amino-3,5-dimethylphenyl)prop-2-enenitrile

Conditions: temp:52.51; pressure:0.00; stir:; See reaction.notes.procedure_details.

Procedure: Trifluoroacetic acid (600 ml) was slowly added to the residue of 2,6-dimethyl-4-(2-cyanoethenyl)-1-carboxybenzyl phenylamine obtained from example 2 (161 gms) at 25 to 30° C. and the reaction mass was stirred at 45-60° C. till completion of reaction as monitored by TLC. After completion of the reaction, water (1800 ml) was added to the reaction mass, neutralized with aqueous ammonia and extracted with toluene. The organic layer was separated and concentrated to give 2,6-dimethyl-4-(2-cyanoethenyl)phenylamine. The residue was admixed with 1:1 mixture of isopropanol and diisopropyl ether (1000 ml) and treated with HCl dissolved in isopropanol to yield 2,6-dimethyl-4-(2-cyanoethenyl)phenylamine hydrochloride salt (II) which was cooled to 25-30° C., filtered and dried. was added to the reaction mass extracted with toluene The organic layer was separated concentrated

Conditions: temp:0.00; pressure:0.00; stir:; See reaction.notes.procedure_details.

Procedure: The third route disclosed in WO 03/016306 involved reaction of 4-bromo-2,6-dimethylphenylamine with acrylamide in presence of palladium acetate, tris(2-methylphenyl)phosphine and N,N-diethylethanamine. The resulting amide was dehydrated using phosphoryl chloride to give 4-(2-cyanoethenyl)-2,6-dimethylphenylamine in a moderate yield of 67% without mentioning the E/Z ratio.